A Change of Pace
by free-vibe
Summary: Rene Dupree is young, the youngest of all the superstars. When he becomes injured he has nothing to fall back on. Will he chose to start over in life?


Dis: I do not own the lovely Frenchman or anyone else in the story. I own the idea though.

A/N: Okay, noticing that my RA is about the same age as Rene Dupree, like down to the month, I wondered what would happen if couldn't wrestle any more and had to choose a different life. Here's what I came up with.

* * *

"Hey man, we are all grabbing a bite to eat after the show. You in?" John Cena yelled from around the corner.  
  
"Yeah sure man. I've got a match, but after is cool." Rene Dupree called back.  
  
The 20 year old superstar ran back towards his dressing room to change before his tag team match. He walked in and smiled at the tag team gold that was laid out next to his bag. He loved being a champion. Sure, his tag team partner didn't speak English very well. A win was a win, and that is all that mattered.  
  
"Come on Dupree, hurry up. The match starts in five," Rob Van Dam said walking in.  
  
Rene grabbed the title and followed Rob to the curtain area. He met his partner Kenzo Suzuki who was talking with Hiroko in a language he didn't understand. He clipped his belt as a trainer brought today's Fifi around. This one unfortunately didn't care for Rene and nipped at him.  
  
"Damn dog," he muttered as Hiroko took the leash.  
  
He checked himself once more in the mirror before standing ready behind the curtain. He was in his wrestling mind frame when Miss Jackie walked passed. His head followed her as she moved. She noticed his stare and gave a small wave before leaving the area.  
  
Rene didn't blink until Rey Mysterio elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
"Get your mind in the game. We only have to do this one more night," Rey said getting him self psyched for the match.  
  
It was Monday night, the last of the week's house shows. Kenzo and Rene had been wrestling the same match against Rob and Rey since Friday. Rene could do the match with his eyes closed, but he knew better. This crowd paid just as much as the crowd on Friday did, and they deserve the same effort and intensity. Rene also had to make sure that he wasn't too comfortable with the match. Monday nights were a prime time for mistakes and worse, injuries. He didn't need to be injured while he was a champion. He saw what happened to Edge on Raw.  
  
The music started as Kenzo and Rene took the short walk to the ring. They taunted the crowed with every step. Hiroko and Fifi followed right behind. New music hit as Rey and Rob came threw the curtain. Soon the bell rang and the match had begun.  
  
Everything was going the same way it had gone the last couple of days. Rey did this, Rene did that. Kenzo moved one way, while Rob moved the other way. There was one part in the match were Rene had to watch himself. He was to be thrown off the turnbuckle and onto the mats below. He had to make sure he didn't hit anything or land wrong.  
  
Rene was tagged in and clotheslined Rey. While Rey was on his back he did his little dance, only to be stopped by Rob. Rene rushed the corner where Rob was. Rob grabbed a hold of Rene's leg and lifted him over the turnbuckle and let him free fall down.  
  
As soon as Rene landed on the mat he knew something was wrong. Pain shot threw his entire leg and was the worst around his knee. He fell forward and laid on the mat trying to figure out what had happened. He rested his head on the mat and tried to move his leg. Another shot of pain went up his leg. He tried to make it into a standing position as the ref came to check on him. He said he was fine, but after one step he fell back to the mat.  
  
Four medical trainers came running out to aid the fallen superstar as the match came to a halt. Just from the looks of things they could tell that his right knee was the problem. Slowly they helped him and carried him out of the public's eye.  
  
As Rene's adrenalin started wearing off the pain became more intense. He had to bite on a towel just to let the trainers look at him with out screaming. His knee was bad, and everyone feared the worst.  
  
Rene was quickly rushed to the hospital. The doctors looked at him and thankfully gave him pain killers. Sitting alone in the emergency room gave Rene time to think, which he didn't like. He knew this was bad. He knew he would be out for a period of time, and he knew that his title was in danger.  
  
He was only twenty. How could something like this happen to him? He needed this job; he couldn't be injured now. The doctor took out his X-ray and lit it up. Even someone who had no idea what they were looking at could tell it was bad.  
  
"You've completely blown out your knee. You broke bones, tore tendons and dislocated it all at once. That must have been some fall you took," the doctor said, reexamining his knee.  
  
The fall was practiced many times. The had already done it three times. Why did this happen?  
  
Rene only blamed himself. He looked at the doctor and asked him one simple question.  
  
"How long?"  
  
The doctor took a long, deep sigh and cleaned his glasses.  
  
"You might be out for good."


End file.
